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Ventura ejected after umpires change call

Nieto ruled out of baseline after initially called safe at second in second inning

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Ventura ejected 3:51

5/24/14: The umpires eject Robin Ventura for arguing their decision to call Adrian Nieto out for leaving the basepath to escape a rundown

By Scott Merkin
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MLB.com |

CHICAGO -- Robin Ventura was ejected for the eighth time in his managerial career and his first time this season during Saturday's 4-3 White Sox loss to the Yankees in 10 innings before 33,413 at U.S. Cellular Field.

The play in question took place in the second inning, following singles by Marcus Semien and Adrian Nieto off Vidal Nuno. As Semien raced from first to third on Nieto's hit, the White Sox catcher rounded too far around first and was caught in a rundown.

Shortstop Derek Jeter briefly looked at Semien at third during the rundown, allowing Nieto to run around him, but Jeter still had time to throw to Brendan Ryan to nab Nieto. After that throw from Jeter to Ryan, Nieto managed to avoid the Ryan tag and initially was ruled safe at second.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi argued that Nieto had gone out of the baseline, and after an umpires' conference on the field, Nieto was ruled out. Ventura argued that ruling, eventually getting ejected.

"Oh, they said he just went out of the baseline," Ventura said. "We obviously disagreed on that."

If the safe call with Nieto had stood, the White Sox would have had runners on second and third with nobody out. After Nieto was ruled out, Leury Garcia struck out and Adam Eaton flew out to Jacoby Ellsbury in center to leave the White Sox scoreless in the inning.

"Well, that inning, again, we had opportunities," Ventura said. "We had plenty of opportunities."

"It could have been the difference in the game, in a sense. You don't know what's going to happen at that point," Girardi said. "Obviously, we felt he was out of the baseline, we felt the umpires made a good call and I'm sure on the other side they are going to disagree, but that's the way it is in the game. We thought it was a good call and it worked out well."

Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Merk's Works, and follow him on Twitter @scottmerkin. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.